Dispenser



Sept 1 1942- s. BLooMFlELD 2,294,594

DISPENSER Filed Nov. 1, 1939 Samlw loomfielai 1N VENTOR.

H/S ATTO Patented Sept. i, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT O FfF-I'C'EDISPENSER SamuelV Bloomfield, Chicago, Ill. Application Novemim 1, 1939,serial-N0., 302,337 a claims. (ores-s1) This vinvention relates Atodispensing devices and particularly toa device for dispensing liquids inthe nature of syrup and the like.

A principal object of the invention is the pro- Vision of a dispenserwith avclosure mechanism Which -is automatically opened Vwhen the deviceis :lifted from `its position of rest.

Other objects vand advantages of the invention reside in the details ofconstruction, as well as the coaction and arrangement of parts in theforms of the invention describedhereinafter in view of the-annexeddrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a syrup dispenser 'with the dispensingmechanism shown partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a Vertical section of the dispensingl cap structure, lookingin "the direction of line 2`2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 vis a horizontal section of the dispensing cap along line 3-3ofFig. l;

Fig. 4 is a perspective -viewof the top section of the-dispensing capstructure;

Fig. 5 is a perspective of the bottom or coupling section of the capstructure, and is complementary vto Fig. l4.

As shown vvin Fig. 11, a, vvpreferred embodiment of the inventionincludes a dispensing mechanism or structure, generally indicated at I0,removably attached -to the'top ofa liquid container Il. The dispensingmechanism includes a cap vmember I2 provided with means such as screwthreading^|3 (Fig..2also) for engagement with complementary -attachingmeans at the mouth Yof -thedispensing container or pitcher. 'I'he capstructure maybe madeof any'material suitable formoulding,preferably'metal, and includes a; rimy portion I 4, on-the interior wallof whichisprovided `the threading I3, land which haslan upper or topportion I5 with a groove or recess I6 running diametrically thereacross.

The groove or recess IIi-is formed by opposite parallel wall portions Il(Fig. 5 particularly) of the casting,'there being an intermediateisolated projection disposed between the `wall portions to provide apartition I8, the purpose of which will shortly appear. One end of therecess or groove terminates at a dispensing opening or spout |49, andthe wall -portions =I'I are iianked by other recessed portions in thecasting.

As viewed particularly in Fig. 1, the closure means 2| is in the form ofa strip of metal or other suitable material of a Width adapted to t intothe groove I6 to reciprocate in sliding action back and forth thereininto and out of closing relation to the dispensing opening or spout I9,the closure strip having an oiset portion 2`2 whichts down-into thefrecess between the spoutand the-endof the partition I8. The oiset partof the closure includes-a lvertical-portion 23 (Figs. 1 and 3particularly) which -engagesrthe ends of a pair of compression-springs24 disposed in the groove on opposite sides of the'partition-member I8Ato urge thev closure into normally closed position.

VThe dispensing structure `is completed by the top section shown `inFig. 4 particularly, *and` whichincludes a. complementary casting 25having a pair of oppositely disposed arcuate ribs26 onfits bottomandadapted-to t snugly against the inner periphery `ofthe recessed portions42l), the opposite ends of the ribs 26 respectively abutting thecorresponding wall portion II to prevent turningmovement ofthe topsection 25 relative to thecap or bottom section I2 (see Fig.2) Theupperpart-of'the top section -25 is tapered suitably and is slotted toprovide opposite posts 25a and k25h constituting trunnions for thepivotal mounting of a-hand1e. 'The-bottom portion of the top section iscut fawa'y as at -21 vto provide openings to facilitate movement of thehandle member.

Onevofthe novelaspects `of the invention-is thearrangement-ofthe handleto open the closure when the dispenser is removed from its position ofrest onfatable or the like, and to this end-the 'handle member-28 `ispivotally mounted as at 28a between -the posts 25a an'df25b,it beingobserved that the pivotal `axis 28a is extended transverselyoflthedirection of'reciprocation of the closure 2| and in a region above thelatter. Handle'28 has a radiallyoffset nose portion "29 (Fig. 1)Whichprojects into the olset part `22 of theclosure-in a'position tobear against the vertical offset 23 when thehandle is pivoted in onedirection fromfa positionof normal rest, as illustrated SinFig. 1. Thesprings 24 in urging the closure 2| into normally closed position alsocause the part 23 to-bear against-the nose 29 on the handle and move thelatter into normal position.

The top section-"25 isl'removably secured to the bottom or cap sectionI2 by a single screw 30 which threads into "the partition member I8 andcooperates with the ribs 26 to hold the top section rigidly in positionon the bottom section. The nose portion 29 on the handle' projectsthrough one of the cut-away portions 21 in the bottom of the top sectionfor operative engagement with the closure.

rEhe bottom section I2 is provided with an integral web 3|, whichconstitutes a floor, sealing off the recessed parts of the cap from thedispensing container upon which it is mounted, the spout portion I9, ofcourse, communicating through the floor, and there being an air vent 32communicating through the partition member I8 into the container to actas a breather in facilitating the free flow of liquids from thecontainer. 'Ihe under side of the handle is provided with a small nipple33 which closes off the breather opening 32 when the handle is in normalposition.

In the operation of the device, the dispensing structure, andparticularly the cap portion l2 thereof, is threaded onto the top of thecontainer as illustrated in Fig. 1, the container being intendednormally to rest upon table or the like with the handle in loweredposition. If the handle is grasped and a directly vertical liftingmovement applied thereto, there will be no relative pivotal movementbetween the handle and the cap structure, and hence no opening of theclosure. In this manner the pitcher or other container may be freelymoved about Without opening the closure, and this results from thearrangement of the pivotal axis of the handle with respect to theclosure and the radial closure operating projection 29 in the manner setforth. However, if, in addition to a directly vertical lifting movement,there is also applied to the handle a slight tilting effort to lower thespout portion I9 in pouring the contents of the pitcher or container,the force of gravity acting upon the container tends to resist thetilting effort, with the result that such effort causes the handle topivot relative to the cap structure and withdraws the closure againstthe tension of its springs so that the liquid or other contents may flowfrom the container. As soon as a reverse tilting effort is applied tothe handle, the container tends to assume its normally upright positionand the springs 24 quickly urge the closure to closed position. It maybe observed that the construction of the closure is such that it cutsacross the opening of the spout in a manner which tends largely toprevent dripping.

The various advantages and objects of the invention may be accomplishedby modifications of the particular embodiment specifically describedherein, and it is intended that the appended claims shall include allequivalent arrangements fairly coming within their call.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a dispensing unit for open top containers normally closed by aremovable cover, a ,dispensing device including a cover member having adispensing opening formed therein, a closure member arranged in saidcoverY for slidable movement back and forth into and Out of closingposition relative to said opening, spring means ar-` ranged in saidcover member and normally adapted to urge said closure member intoclosing position relative to said dispensing opening, a trunnion formedon said cover member above said closure member Aand providing an axisarranged transversely of the direction of move-y the surface of a` mentof the closure member, a handle pivotally mounted at the axis providedby said trunnion and adapted to rotate on said axis relative to thecover member, and an offset cam lever on said handle and extendingradially from the pivotal axis therefor into operative engagement withsaid closure member whereby when said handle is grasped to lift thedispensing unit and a tilting effort is applied thereto to dispose thecontainer in pouring condition, said container and handle will pivotrelative to each other by force of gravity against the action of saidspring to urge said closure member out of closing position relative tosaid dispensing opening,

2. In a dispenser, a dispensing cap structure including an annular capconstructed for attachment to a container and having a diametric groovein a horizontal plane one end of which terminates near a dispensingopening, a closure arranged to move back and forth in said groove intoand out of closing relation relative to said opening, spring meansdisposed in said groove and normally urging said closure into closingposition, a top member removably mounted on said cap, a handle mountedon said top member for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to themovement of said closure above the latter, said handle having an offsetportion extending radially from said axis and operatively engaged withsaid closure to move the latter into open position when said handle ispivoted from a normal position away from said container, action of saidspring means in urging said closure into normal position effectingmovement of said handle into normal position as aforesaid, said handleincluding a hand grip extending downwardly adjacent said container toprovide a lever whereby when tilting dispensing effort is applied tosaid hand grip the handle will be pivoted from a normal position awayfrom said container against the action of said spring means for thepurpose aforesaid.

3. In a dispenser, an upright container, a cover for the container, saidcover including a dispensing opening at a side thereof, a closuremounted on said cover for movement back and forth in a horizontal planeinto and out of closing position relative to said opening, handle meanspivotally mounted on said cover for movement about an axis transverse ofthe direction of movement of the closure and at a level above the latterand the container, said handle means having a portion offset from itspivotal axis for operative engagement with said closure to move thelatter into open position when the handle is pivoted in a certaindirection from a normal position, means for yieldably urging saidclosure and handle means to dispose both of the same in a normalposition in which said handle is lowered relative to said cover andcontainer and the closure is in closed condition, tilting effort appliedto the handle in normal condition for the purpose of tilting theVcontainer in dispensing action, being effective to pivot the handlerelative to the cover and move the closure into open position.

SAMUEL BLOOMFIELD.

